# US 10,771,712 B2 · Optimized exposure temporal smoothing for time-lapse mode > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,771,712 B2 - Document ID: US10771712B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/107,404 - Filed: 2018-08-21 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-25 - Assignees: GoPro, Inc. - Applicants: GoPro, Inc. - Inventors: Nicolas Bessou; Romain Gounelle - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10771712B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/743: Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions - H04N 5/2625: {for obtaining an image which is composed of images from a temporal image sequence, e.g. for a stroboscopic effect (sequence generated by event triggered capturing H04N7/188)} - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - H04N 23/73: by influencing the exposure time - H04N 25/589: with different integration times, e.g. short and long exposures - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Generating a time-lapse is disclosed. A method includes acquiring, using a camera, a first frame of the time-lapse; acquiring, using the camera, one or more preview images, the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determining an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquiring, using the camera, the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting. A camera includes a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to acquire a first frame of the time-lapse; acquire one or more preview images, the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determine an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquire the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for generating a time-lapse, comprising: acquiring, using a camera, a first frame of the time-lapse; acquiring, using the camera and after acquiring the first frame, one or more preview images, wherein the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determining an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquiring, using the camera and after acquiring the one or more preview images, the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more preview images comprises a last preview image that is taken immediately before the second frame, and wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images comprises: determining the exposure setting based on a last exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more preview images further comprises a first preview image that is taken immediately after the first frame, and wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images comprises: temporally smoothing the one or more preview images between the first preview image and the last preview image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images further comprises: temporally smoothing the first frame and the last preview image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images further comprises: applying a damping factor to the exposure setting, wherein the damping factor is based on a first exposure setting of the first frame and a second exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the damping factor is an adaptive temporal factor that adapts to a difference between the first exposure setting of the first frame and the second exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the damping factor is based on a difference of luminosity between the first frame and the last preview image. ### Claim 8 A camera for generating a time-lapse, comprising: a memory; and a processor, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to: acquire a first frame of the time-lapse; acquire, after the first frame, one or more preview images, wherein the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determine an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquire, after the one or more preview images, the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The camera of claim 8, wherein the one or more preview images comprises a last preview image that is taken immediately before the second frame, and wherein to determine the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images comprises to: determine the exposure setting based on a last exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The camera of claim 9, wherein the one or more preview images further comprises a first preview image that is taken immediately after the first frame, and wherein to determine the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images comprises to: temporally smooth the one or more preview images between the first preview image and the last preview image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The camera of claim 10, wherein to determine the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images further comprises to: temporally smooth the first frame and the last preview image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The camera of claim 11, wherein to determine the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images further comprises to: apply a damping factor to the exposure setting, wherein the damping factor is based on a first exposure setting of the first frame and a second exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The camera of claim 12, wherein the damping factor is an adaptive temporal factor that adapts to a difference between the first exposure setting of the first frame and the second exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The camera of claim 13, wherein the damping factor is based on a difference of luminosity between the first frame and the last preview image. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising: acquiring, using a camera, a first frame of a time-lapse; acquiring, using the camera and after acquiring the first frame, one or more preview images, wherein the preview images are not included in the time-lapse; determining an exposure setting for a second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images; and acquiring, using the camera and after acquiring the one or more preview images, the second frame of the time-lapse using the exposure setting. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more preview images comprises a last preview image that is taken immediately before the second frame, and wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images comprises: determining the exposure setting based on a last exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more preview images further comprises a first preview image that is taken immediately after the first frame, and wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images comprises: temporally smoothing the one or more preview images between the first preview image and the last preview image. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images further comprises: temporally smoothing the first frame and the last preview image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the exposure setting for the second frame of the time-lapse using the one or more preview images further comprises: applying a damping factor to the exposure setting, wherein the damping factor is based on a first exposure setting of the first frame and a second exposure setting of the last preview image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the damping factor is an adaptive temporal factor that adapts to a difference between the first exposure setting of the first frame and the second exposure setting of the last preview image, wherein the damping factor is based on a difference of luminosity between the first frame and the last preview image.